Category: Maternity

When I was growing up, we had neighbors that had two kids who shared the same birthday. That birthday happened to also be the couple’s anniversary.

Back then, I wasn’t sure what to think about it. I grew up in a family of eight kids and we all had our own birthdays…no sharing. I kind of liked it like that.

Makes me wonder what the odds are for family members to share birthdays. One little New Year’s baby really beat the odds when she arrived ten days early.

Little Autumn Rain Stover not only arrived as the first baby on New Year’s Day, she also shares her birthday with both of her parents. According to USA Today, the parents had no idea of the odds of the three of them sharing the same day, but according to Fox News the odds are 1 in 48 million.

Autumn Rain was born at the University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital in Cleveland. She’s the first child to Qiana and Raheem Stover who are happy to share their special day with their new arrival. Her mother said, “I knew she was coming today,” and called her new daughter a blessing.

The baby has made headlines as the first baby to be born at the hospital on New Year’s Day, but once news got out that she shared the same birthday as her parents the popularity of her story skyrocketed. After all 1 in 48 million aren’t unbelievable odds.

At first I wondered if the labor had been induced to make it all happen, but it turns out the it was all coincidental. Mrs. Stover was due on January 10, and little Autumn Rain decided to come early all on her own, without any extra help from the medical staff.

When Raheem was asked how he felt about his daughter being born on the birthday that he and his wife share, he said, “I think we are all special.”.

Back when the ALS ice bucket challenge was hot on the Internet, Zoe Saldana, famous for playing the green skinned alien woman in Guardians of the Galaxy, posted a challenge video.

It started out with a close up of her face, and then as the camera panned out, she announced she wouldn’t actually be doing the challenge herself because she was pregnant.

Instead, she dumped the icy cold water on her husband Marco Perego. That’s when I learned she was expecting. Her baby bump was a definite bump that looked like she was probably six months along at least.

Turns out that her babies were born at the end of November. That’s right, babies. She gave birth to twin boys, but it wasn’t until her Instagram post on January 2 that the boys names were revealed to the public.

She posted, “Our boys CY and BOWIE are finally here. #marcoperego and I wanted to thank you for your beautiful wishes and for your patience.”

The twins are the first children for 36-year-old Saldana and her husband, who were married in a secret ceremony in 2013, in London.

She had talked about baby names back in October when she appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. She talked about how her Puerto Rican and Dominican parents and her husband’s Italian parents kept leaving voicemails with potential baby names including: Rocco, Giovanni, Luigi, Antonio, Ramon, and Jose. Saldana went on to say, “We’re kind of hippie. We want it to be like, Lavender. I’m joking!”

Being a new mom takes patience, and having twins takes a double dose.

Maybe the 2-3 hours Saldana had to sit in the makeup chair just to apply her prosthetic pieces for her part in Guardians of Galaxy, was preparing her for her real life role. Because it wasn’t only 2-3 hours, it was all the time getting airbrushed with green and then the rest of her makeup. Even her scalp was green.

All total, she was in the chair for 5 hours, and it took another 45 minutes just to get it all off. And then there was the unexpected development of a topical eczema.

Yes, I think her role in Guardians of the Galaxy gave her some practical experience to be a mom of two. I send out congratulations to her and her husband and wish them all the best.

In three more months, royal baby number two is due to arrive. The royal couple is busy getting the second nursery in order, and like all parents-to-be, trying to narrow the list of possible names.

The difference between them and most of us is that there are a lot of people interested in the name they choose. You see, in the UK the people are allowed to bet on such things.

While we don’t really have insight into the names at the top of Kate and Prince William’s list, we can see which names are the top runners according to the masses at paddypower.com.

For instance, if the baby happens to be a girl, top favorites as of the time of this article include “Eliazbeth” with 7/2 odds, and “Charlotte” with 6/1 odds.

The top boy names are “Philip” at 10/1 odds, and “Arthur” at 12/1 odds. For those who think the baby will be named after his father, “William” is next on the list with 14/1 odds. Names at the high odds end of the list include Macbeth and Ringo at 500/1 odds.

Betting isn’t limited to just the name Kate and William might choose for their second child. Bets are also being taken on the sex of the baby. As of right now the odds are running even at 5/6 no matter which way you vote.

Bookmaking is totally legal in Britain, and when the Royals are good for business. Not just the royal babies, but they also take bets on who the next Monarch will be, when Prince Harry will get married, and whether or not Camilla will be queen.

While we won’t know whether the baby is a boy or a girl or what name Kate and Prince William decided on until the little bundle arrives, it sure is good for the economy when a royal baby is on the way.

Before you panic, it’s important to add that no definitive connection has been established between the two. Instead, the results lead to another theory. It suggests that because elective C-sections are scheduled weeks before the mother’s actual due date, it deprives the baby of the last few weeks of brain development.

Another guess is that C-section babies are not exposed to the same gut flora as babies who are born vaginally and that this difference may factor in a child’s psychological development. In the meantime, what’s an expectant mom supposed to do?

Experts are saying there is no need to panic and I agree, because while the study suggests there is a link, it really isn’t clear what that link is. In other words, at this point, there really isn’t anything conclusive for us to base our decisions on.

I’m not saying it should be dismissed without further research, however the findings are incomplete and more research is needed.

If this latest study concerns you, go to your OBGYN and discuss your birthing options. If your doctor is talking about caesarian section, ask for more information. While the number of C-section deliveries is high these days, new guidelines were put in place in March 2014 to prevent unnecessary procedures.

A C-section can be a life-saving procedure for both the mom and the baby, and there are many reasons why it might be recommended. However, if your situation doesn’t include one of these reasons, it’s time to revisit your options and let your doctor know your concerns.

Even if you’re feeling self conscious about your pregnant body, don’t automatically dismiss the idea of posing for professional maternity photos. Once your child is grown, these photos will be a cherished keepsake of one of the most special times in your life.

Ana Brandt, a mother of three and an Orange County photographer since 1999, recommends scheduling your maternity photos between 28 weeks and 36 weeks. You want to have a readily visible baby bump, but not be so big that you’re crabby and uncomfortable.

You should start looking for a professional photographer in your second trimester, however. You want to have time to look at the portfolios of several local photographers and ask other recently pregnant friends or family members for personal recommendations.

When it comes to choosing your outfit, you have several different wardrobe options. If your style is conservative, try a tight fitting maxi or a long flowing skirt with a tight top that shows your bump while keeping covered.

Wear jeans and a tank top for a casual look. If you’re feeling sexy, check your lingerie drawer for boy shorts and a cute bra. If there’s nothing you like in your own closet, ask your photographer if the studio has a wardrobe for you to choose from.

If desired, you can also add props such as baby shoes or sonogram photos to your session. If this is not your first pregnancy, you may want to get a few photos of your older children with their hands on your belly.

On the day of your photo session, Brandt recommends making sure you eat a full meal and drink plenty of water. Maternity photo sessions can be exhausting, so you want to do whatever is necessary to keep your strength up.

Planning your family doesn’t always go exactly as planned. I remember when my sister-in-law found out she was pregnant with her second. Her son was only three months old at the time. That wasn’t her plan, but she rolled with it.

My mother-in-law had all four of her kids three years apart. Now that’s a plan. I’ve heard all kinds of theories on how far apart kids should be spaced, but a new study has narrowed the answer for the shortest amount of time we should allow between kids — not based on personal preference, but on risk factors associated with delivering a preterm baby.

The study, which was published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, researched interpregnancy intervals (IPI) based on 454,716 live births of mothers who had two or more babies in six years.

Researchers took a closer look at those moms who waited less than 18 months to become pregnant again. The results show that in those cases the resulting pregnancy is shorter.

For this study, the participants were broken into three categories according to their IPI:

Under 12 months

12 to 18 months

Over 18 months

Researchers concluded “over 18 months” is the most favorable of the inerpregnancy intervals while the mothers with the shortest IPIs were more likely to give birth before their 39th week. This could put the baby at risk and lead to problems even though the CDC considers pre-term birth as occurring before 37 weeks.

While short IPI is a known risk factor for preterm birth, their data showed that inadequate birth spacing is associated with decreased gestational age for all births.

The findings show that “pregnancies following short IPIs have a higher frequency of birth at all weeks of gestation prior to 39 and fewer births greater than or equal to 40 weeks, resulting in overall shortened pregnancy duration.”

The moms who fell into the “under 12 months” category delivered before 39 weeks at a rate of 53.3% while of the women in the other two categories only 37.5% delivered that early.

So when you’re planning your next child, think about the potential impact your timing can have on whether or not you’re putting your baby at risk for a preterm birth.

Beyonce had the opportunity to meet the royal couple, Kate Middleton and Prince William, when they visited New York. And what was the focus of many articles covering the event as far as Beyonce is concerned? That she may be sporting a baby bump.

Every time the media starts focusing on what they think might be a baby bump, I cringe. People think just because someone wears lose or baggy clothing it is evidence that they are trying to hide something. What if they are just dressing comfortably?

The meet with the royal couple wasn’t the start of this particular gossip thread. These rumors started circulating back in September.

I’m not saying that we don’t all go through the thought process of thinking someone might be pregnant when we see little clues. But most of those clues aren’t observable unless you are with the person on a regular basis. I mean, things like morning sickness aren’t going to be picked up by a camera.

With that said, I read one article that offered 10 reasons that pointed to Beyonce being pregnant, but it was all speculation.

The thing I don’t like is when headlines tell a woman she looks pregnant when she might not be. The woman may just be wearing something baggy.

And if they are pregnant, people have various reasons why they may want to hide a pregnancy for a little time. In fact, since the risk of miscarriage is highest during the first trimester, many moms-to-be choose to wait to share their big news until at least 10 to 12 weeks.

I personally didn’t enjoy people commenting on how I looked while I was pregnant. Yes, I was “big as a house” with my second child, but I didn’t really need to hear others say it. I already felt like I needed a crane to get out of a chair by the eighth month.

If you were a sexy celebrity, like Beyonce, would you announce to the world that you were expecting early on? I certainly wouldn’t. The media already makes a baby bump out of nothing.

I’ve been a fan of Carrie Underwood since her American Idol days. It’s like she’s grown up in the public eye since then, but happily she’s retained her sweetness. I

n 2009 she was engaged to hockey player Mike Fisher, and they were married in 2010. Now at 31, I’m happy to see that she’s expecting her first baby…a boy.

The couple broke the news in September, shortly following their fourth wedding anniversary. A week later, her baby bump made its debut at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois.

This week, she appeared on the Tonight Show recently with Jimmy Fallon and talked about her pregnancy. During the exchange, she mentioned that she performs for her unborn son and feels pressure to make it “good.”

It amazes me that she feels that way. Not just pressure to be good, but that she still doesn’t realize how good she really is. That’s one of the things I appreciate about her.

She went on to admit that she feels like she has to sing good all the time, like even if she’s just driving in the car, because the baby is listening. When I heard that, all I could think was “as if she could sing bad.”

Fallon himself is a new dad, and he asked about how her family took the news. She said her parents have a lot of grandkids. “I have lots of nieces and nephews so my parents were obviously very happy, but they’ve heard it all before. They have great grandchildren. I’m slow.”

But on Mike’s side of the family, she said, “Mike’s mom shed a few tears…. She was that kind of happy.”

Carrie is looking great. She’s taking steps to stay healthy on the inside and out with exercise and diet and has been working with Erin Oprea as her personal trainer. It shows!

The cute little bundle of joy at the end is well worth the effort, but there’s no denying that the side effects that occur during pregnancy can be unbearable. Carrying a child for nine months means constant body changes. Back pain, leg cramps, and swollen feet are quite common among expectant mothers.

Regular stretching can help relieve many of the discomforts of pregnancy, but stretching can be tricky when your body is changing on daily basis.

Keith Hatfield, a former athletic trainer for the Kansas City Royals, designed the Hatfield Strap to help you get a relaxing stretch from the comfort of your own bed.

The shoulder strap attachment acts as a harness that makes it easier for you to hold a comfortable stretch for an extended period of time. The stretch is dependent upon your own natural body movements and takes no exertion of energy.

The foot strap is 4” wide, which means that it covers the width of your entire foot. This spreads the force of the stretch so you get the same results as stretching while standing without the added exertion or stress on your joints.

While the ease of use makes the Hatfield strap ideal for pregnant women, it’s something that can be used by nearly anyone. It’s recommended for athletes as well as people suffering from Plantar Fasciitis.